Fire Emblem: Blade of Darkness
by Remi Femble
Summary: The Realm of Wiera. far from all other continents, has dealt with its own turmoil for many many years. ripe with legends, houses, and the intervention of the children of Ashera, lesser gods. See how terror and war become a plague needing to be pruned from the realm. Yet, is victory itself its own form of punishment for the victor? (this is an original story in the FE world).
1. Prologue

Prologue: A Wonderful Bedtime Story

The day was done and the winds of the night were rushing through the small little shanty on the edge of the village. Supper had long since been served from the pot and the family of three were readying themselves for their hours of rest, perhaps the truest since of freedom for the lowborn people all throughout the continent. Such a grace was always welcomed, most of all by the head of the household, a man who works tirelessly. He is a man who comes home each day smelling of a hard day's labor and whose hands are worn and torn, calloused deep from years of effort. And yet, the comfort and joy he feels when he stares into the eyes of his young son when he returns home each day has an effect upon him. In an instant it's as if the years reverse from himself. He is overjoyed as his little son gets into his hay bed. The family is not wealthy in any regard but they are happy with what they have. He tucks his little boy into his blanket to keep him warm through the night. Nearby his wife has already laid down from the night. He happily takes the chance to ferry his boy to the world of dreams.

"Father!" the boy says with tired excitement upon his lips as he settles into his blanket. "Tell me a story please!" The father smiles as he sits beside his son on his little rough bed.

"Alright boy. The father says to the child. "I'll tell you a story my father told me about how the world came to be." The child smiled as he loves stories of the past, of the world and the great heroes and people involved in it. "Years ago, long a fore the times we live now, long before the rise of House Hartford which rules our lands. There was a Goddess. Her name was Ashanura. She was fully wondrous and beautiful and gave life to the world. She created all manners of creatures. She created the first beings. Which in time, some became humans, other became the shifters, more animal than person at times. Creatures that could turn into dragons, lions, and tigers. Ashanura one day however, had a fit and split herself of her emotions. She became two people, the god of order Ashera, and the god of chaos Yune. Ashera then fought a war against Yune on a faraway realm called Tellius. Yune was defeated and silenced, but not a fore her other half Yune filled with all her emotion and desire birthed several gods from her own body. These little gods scattered themselves across the seas, hiding themselves from Ashera and her armies. Two of them settled upon this, the continent of Wiera. For centuries they lorded over the primitive people of this world, helping them grow and develop. They laughed and played with the people for years." He pauses for a minute as he ponders the next part of the tale. His sons eyes were heavy, but not quite closed yet.

"The two were known as Iagus and Kaya. Iagus was wild and more built upon the foul emotions of Yune, while Kaya with kindness and open heart sought to do nothing beyond being a source of joy and warmth to the people of Weira. For a long time things were calm in the lands. Until one day a tyrannical lord rose up in the West part of our realm. Ragos the Rage the annals of old call him. He created war and slaughtered children and men alike. This crazy bloodlust of his garnered the attention of all men of rage and ill intent the world over. Kaya's heart was broken from these notions and tried to stop the fight by ending the life of all of those following the banner of Ragos. However, Iagus blessed all of the people under the banner of the Rage filled ruler. Iagus and Kaya tussled over the other's actions. Kaya wanted peace and was embarrassed that once again two opposing forces were at all-out war over the god they served. Kaya refused to bless the entire realm of people following her against Ragos. However, she did find in the people in opposition of the enemy, the greatest swordsman and the strongest halberdier in perhaps all the lands, not just Wiera. The swordsman was called Scythe, he had only one eye, an eternal scowl on his face and carried two swords. The man was blessed with quick feet, and quicker hands. Though he carried two swords, he always fought with his right hand. This was his weaker hand, the other he reserved only for his real challenges. The halberdier was named Reto. He was slightly taller than the average man, yet his aura was that of a giant. His eyes were red, blood red, yet his soul and heart were peaceful. The man wore triple forged steel plate armor. Despite the heavy wear of the armor, he was in no way inhibited in his movements. He was still swift and quick. Kaya gathered the two together and blessed them fully.

To Scythe she replaced one of his swords with the sword called 'Darkness.' The blade possessed the power to steal light in its sight. Scythe from that day forward wore deep black cloak and hood. His cloak at all times he kept turned to the side to keep the blade of Darkness from mingling with light. Never from day forward has the blade known as Darkness been absent his hand on the handle.

To Reto, she blessed his armor and halberd with her own spirit. The armor and weapon were now in many ways unable to be damaged. From the bottom of his boots to his forged and fitted helm, the knight never again needed a smith for repairs.

However, the greatest blessing the goddess gave them both, were youth. She bathed them both in her own blood. And thus, the two became godlike, they would not age, not weaken, not die from what maligns normal folk. The stories say from that day of blessing onward, only another godlike or god, or true death in battle could fell them."

"Father…" the little boy yawned as he continued listening to the story despite dreams coming upon him. The father stopped telling the story and waited for his son's next statement. "How come Iagus didn't do the same for his followers?"

"huh….I have no clue son." The question had never come up or been a thought to the worn down man. He tried to think for an answer but he could not find one, perhaps it was a long days work that robbed him of thought, or just his generally weak mind, but the man truly had no answer to the question, and he preferred not to lie to the child. "Anyway child. The two men blessed by Kaya charged into the heart of Ragos' land and fought back every challenger, slaying thousands. And with each victory they grew closer to the end of the war. Soon they slew Ragos. And then charged at Iagus. The two dueled the god for hours, days, and even weeks. Each blow was fought back and forth. Over those weeks countless remnants of Ragos' army tried to help the god but to no avail and Iagus' tricks and divine powers gave him no edge against the two champions. Then Scythe let loose the darkness blade from beneath the cloak and began fighting with the blessed sword. The whole chamber and city they were fighting in soon fully enveloped in pitch black, a whole city absent any light. Reto found an opening and wounded the god deep with his halberd spike. Iagus groaned and rather than continue the battle further he fled the scene using what little energy remained in him. Scythe quickly hid the blade once more returning light to the realm. However, it was too late. Iagus was gone. The world was at peace, but not at rest. Kaya knew she would not be able to relax until she knew Iagus was fallen. Thus she took to the sky and left our world searching for him to either kill or console her brother. She swore to not return until she handled Iagus for good.

The world became what it is today, a fractured realm of houses and lords vying for power always. The heroes of the war Scythe and Reto decided not to rule a dominion or be gods in their own abilities….and perhaps they by choosing not to doomed the realm to violence always." The father ended the story on that low note as he could tell his boy was fast asleep and knew he could and a bit of his own opinion to the end of the tale. Of course he was tired so he moved from his son's side to his place by his wife.

"AHHHHH!" a quick scream filled the air and alerted the senses of the father. He rushed toward the door of his home and opened it to see what it was, his wife sat up in the bed alarmed by the sound as well. The boy had not yet been alerted to sleep.

"SHUNK!" the father had opened the door to be greeted by a hand axe to the forehead.

"AHHHHHH! ROBERT! ROBERT!" The wife shrieked as her husband fell backward to his death. Fires began to grow and screams and yells began billowing from all around the village as men had come to raid and plunder. The sounds alerted the boy to his feet from sleep. He asked his mother what was going on and was in shock as he turned his head to see his father dead on the ground. The mother quickly regained her sense and jumped from bed and grabbed the boy and shoved him underneath his bedframe in a flash of moments.

"SHHHHHH!" she quieted her son, "No matter what happens….do not make a sound!" the boy could see the panic in his mother's eyes as she kissed his forehead and pulled herself from the edge of the bedframe. A few moments later the thunderous sound of heavy boots thudded into the shanty home to collect the axe from the deceased man's skull. The mother shrilled and tried to remain quiet as he entered the home. He removed the axe and returned it to his side before he noticed the mother, dressed for bed and fully terrified.

"Well look at you." The man spoke with a disgusting filthy slur as if he was good and drunk before the exertion of fighting even began, now that the village was nearly sacked, he was good, drunk, and also out of breath. He slightly tripped over the dead body in the floor as he moved to the mother who tried to recoil into the corner of the home to no avail. The man grabbed her leg and pulled her to the floor of the shanty. She swung at him with her open hands, squirming wildly as she began to cry tears of terror, terror mostly only known to a woman in the midst of a drunken man who eyed her for wicked pleasures against any of her intentions. He smacked her in the skull with the back side of his hand axe and then turned her over. Tears and horror ran down her face as the blow had paralyzed her to defend herself. Even more she was paralyzed further as she found herself looking into her son's frightened eyes as the drunk man spread her legs and moved her gown out of the way. The next few moments seemed an eternity….

Finally the evil was over. The mother seemed fully drained of all terror as she was no longer able to cry or make a sound as she just lay helpless to the turmoil upon her. The drunk arose from his evil scoffed at the woman. "What horrid lay." He said as he spat on her. "You don't deserve another go." The drunk then buried the axe into the damaged woman's neck; the force nearly cleaved her head from body. She endured a few moments more of pain as she now cried tears of blood until her life faded fully in the coming seconds. The man was done with the home as he saw nothing more of value in the building. He walked towards the door of the home unbeknownst to him that all awhile under the small bed frame, was a young boy watching in silent horror as his mother breathed her last breath. He followed her instruction, and kept quiet even having to bit through his own hand to help him keep so during the worst of it. As the man walked past the dead man of the house on the floor he saw fit to loose his pants and began to urinate on the dead man. The boy covered his ears under the bed as he heard the drizzling noise of the man's stream pelting his father's corpse. The man finished soon enough and then as he tightened his pants he made a mocking priestly gesture. "A Blessing from House Valtrex." The man laughed as he left to rejoin his comrades spread throughout the village.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A Meeting of the Free Lords

The hall was large and empty as the morning began. The servants of the castle serving set out seats around the chamber so that any and all who arrived would have stable and proper seating. They gathered candles as well to make sure the place was properly lit for the discussion.

The meeting of the lords was an odd occurrence and was an invitation sent to every one of the houses holding province in the Continent with the exception of the kingdoms of Yannis and Archana. And of course no one was invited north of the North-West mountain range as the people beyond that range were rarely heard of as life in that area is harsh and nearly in a perpetual winter. The House Savoy the ruling family of Jule called the meeting of the lords. "Are we prepared enough?" a young maiden asked of a senior servant.

"Yes dear, I'm sure we'll be fine. There were many houses invited, but these events don't always result in everyone making an appearance. "If we are surprised then we'll make plans as needed." The senior servant with years of experience upon him fully confident in his planning for the day.

Enter the first guests, A young knight escorting his lord. The pair wasn't anything special as it was expected that most lords would arrive with a retinue of sorts for personal safety and security, however the poorer country lords would have notably smaller companions on hand. Jule was a larger settlement in the central portion of the continent so naturally the first pair to arrive were from the nearest settlement over. However the conference was planned well in advance and before too long other groups arrived. All being of well breeding kept their reserve even in their greetings of each other, as the actual purpose of the meeting had not been thoroughly explained in the invitation. Usually a gathering like this would predicate a rally to war or a pressure upon a clan to forfeit lands seized or to discuss major feral and bandit problems. So naturally this was a matter of assumed importance.

Soon the hall was filled of Lords and their guards with the majority of the personal escorts being asked to remain outside due to limited hall space. "Lord the hall is filled, perhaps more will arrive yet I believe you have your audience." A young blonde knight in lean armor stated to his liege. The young lord smiled to his friend and trusted companion as he patted him on the shoulder and moved toward the hall.

"ALL AWARENESS, NOW ENTERING, THE REGENT OF JULE, Shenis Savoy!" the senior servant called to all to gain attention as Shenis and his knight appeared and moved their seat in the hall. Shenis was young, handsome with medium length hair, his preferred dress were his white and silver clothing with a steel breastplate covering his front. He had a thin purple cape. As he moved to his seat many of the familiar faces moved to embrace the young master of the house. Soon he was seated and called all to order.

"Hello my friends, I assume you all have quandaries as to why I have called you here." The statement rang true to all in the audience.

"You got that right." A bold old voice spoke from the back of the hall. "For some of us this isn't an easy journey." The older man voiced.

"You're right Lord Titus, it is true that your lands are a tremendous journey away from here to the South West. I thank you for coming." The old lord smiled and nodded in thanks as he appreciated being recognized. "the reason I have called you all here is because we need to have a sanction of action against House Valtrex." The room filled with quick murmurs between all. Shenis knew he had to continue if he wished to keep control of the room. "As you know, House Valtrex stormed and sacked many villages and towns this past winter they have behaved monstrously this cold season."

"All that rubbish was over 4 years ago!" a voice called out. "Shenis why call a meeting after all this time?" The concern was noted if the actions were so pressing then why wait so long.

"As you know House Valtrex controls Valor in the Northern part of Wiera. This winter has been a long and harsh one, one which surely would have seen us at a disadvantage had we mobilized against them. Thus I wanted to wait until we had healthy harvests coming in before I risked our lives marching north on a mission of justice."

"Why it been too long and Valor and surrounding are moot lands of little worth in resources and trade. I SAY LET IT BE!"

"AYE! AYE!" a voice followed by others called out as the hall found themselves of an accord on the matter.

"If you wish to go punishing them for their deeds, the bully for you!" lord Chile of Dol proclaimed. Dol was the largest of the free cities in the lands and thus the ruling lord was often seen as a leading voice in these matters. Quickly after making his point, many of the other key lords rallied to Lord Chile's viewpoint.

"So you wish to let Valtrex' action go unpunished, you wish other Houses to spread unneeded hostility toward the common folks?" Shenis called out trying to rally back support. It was his goal to see the collective form a coalition force and march upon the northern lands to seize control and anoint a new house, one with honor. The knight at the young lord's side could see things were not going toward a helpful accord and he put his hand on his shoulder to offer support.

"Lord Shenis," the Merchant Master of the coastal port of Sultra spoke. "If you wish to pursue action against Valtrex, I offer to name any of your efforts valid and righteous. We shall hold you no malice towards your actions against the north. However, if you want armed support from us in these actions, we will not offer you our blades for such a land absent goods and resources to cover the costs of war." He opinion carried great confidence of the others and soon the entire hall absent the hosting lord were in agreement on the matter. Shenis found himself alone in his pursuits toward justice for the northern folk near Valor, the town ruled by House Valtrex.

With the main point of the meeting concluded the lords made a few announcements to changes of house or changes of borders and land disputes. Then after several made arrangements for marriage between their houses. However, Shenis kept silent and made no conversation as disappointment held him after he failed to gain support in his efforts to punish the acts of terror he had heard about. The young lord even shrugged off several inquiries of marriage mentioned to him by several of the older lords looking for proper spouses for their daughters. Despite not being in agreement toward war on the north, they still were impressed by the young lord's ability to call such a grand gathering. These meetings rarely happened and when they did all present did try and make the most of the journey. However, the crowds were respectful of the Savoy clan, and since they didn't agree with the young Savoy they soon funneled from the hall into the town's inns or other chambers of the castle to conduct their business away from the young lord or to rest their heads from the hardships of the road.

"Highlight." The young lord spoke to his knight at his side. "What did I do wrong? Why won't they support the cause?" The young lord leaned forward in his chair and pushed his palms into his hair as he was puzzled at all that was going on. He could not believe that not one other lord would offer any support at all.

"Look," Highlight moved in front of his liege and dropped to his knees, and pulled the young master head out of his hands. "They didn't pledge support, sure. But they did say that any action we take is righteous and thus gives us the free lands passage to do as we wish." The young master soon smiled and slapped his hands onto the knight's shoulders, causing the knight to blush a tad.

"You're right my friend!" Shenis arose to his feet with the knight as he felt full of joy at the prospect. "We'll have to make preparations at once." He started darting off down the hall but then stopped. "We should be careful though Highlight, this could be a ploy to get us to march in force north only to have our lands sacked behind us." Highlight nodded in agreement.

"Then we should put together a small taskforce for the sortie north. Shall we appoint your brother as viceroy in your absence?"

The young lord nodded, "Yes, but lets be patient and wait until all guests have left the city before we make the plans, and we'll ask my brother to viceroy in silence so as not to raise the alarm the lord of Jule is elsewhere.

The lord and his knight felt full of purpose and spirit at the plan. However around the bend of the hall was an eavesdropper who smirked at the news. "Good. The young man has taken the bait. This could be quite the profitable year afterall." The eavesdropper chuckled in low volume has he made his way from the villa. He gained the intel he was after.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: a duo of three

"Get those silly brats!" a loud drunken voice hollered as he rallied a group of thugs from within the inn. The scene opens to a loud a rowdy evening in the village of Til, an outpost in the North that had been sacked and conquered by the Valtrex family during the past winter. The town shared the fate of many in the realm. Big bloated soldiers and mercenaries barely better than brigands ate and drank hearty and lorded over the land in the most grotesque of fashion. They always did the same thing in the towns too small to have a ruling family, they setup in the local inn or the largest farmstead and began treating it as their personal domain. "Kill THEM!" a different voice hollered as three young people darted out of the inn quickly. The trio were two boys and a girl. The girl was roughly 16 in her age, she had her hair cut short to give the appearance that she was a boy and dressed as such, this was because the older of the two boys knew what her fate would be had they discovered her. The women of these occupied towns found themselves frequently with bastards in their bellies, and with horrid nights filled with drunken bodies atop them. The older boy in trio was wise to these ways and sought to protect the girl. Her name was Claire. She was fair of skin, and despite her short hair she was still obviously beautiful, to help her keep the obvious hidden she wore a thin scarf around her face to help conceal her. She was a skilled little girl and thus the older boy gave her knives to be her weapons to go along with her abilities to pick locks.

The older boy was named Ion, he was roughly 19 years of age. A man descent height, and while his frame would normally result in a man suitable of being a heavy knight, the years of famine had taken toll on his body and he was skinny but thus agile. He carried a sword and while he was basically untrained in proper use, hunting and practice were still useful to him, however today was proving to be his first chance to use them on aggressive targets. His mother took Claire and the younger boy in to their home and they survived together as a family ever since the Valtrex occupation began. Ion clearly took great personal protection over both of the younger two. "Keep your siblings safe!" his mother called to him before disease took her nearly a year ago. Ion's mother treated and addressed them as her own children since she took them both into her home. She loved all three of them, and her desire to protect and see them to survive eventually resulted in her life fading due to malnourishment.

The youngest of the three was a boy no more than ten years old. The boy was given a short spear to carry by the older boy, when really Ion had no intention of letting him get into combat. "Kyler! Come on, we have to get out of here!" Claire called to the young boy. The three had been days without food and decided that now would be their best chance to steal a meal from the inn of their town that used to be a lovely free village. The three bolted into the woods quickly trying to lose the mainstay of the force pursing.

"Get them!" the ringleader cried out. "Spread out into groups and slay whatever you find!" he called. There wasn't a large force of men stationed at the small town of Til, however there were more than enough to cause problems for the locals, after the famine and abuse the soldiers almost outnumbered the local folk. the ringleader returned to the inn with his top rank people while 4 squads went separate ways into the woods to find what they could. Each squad had 4 to 8 men and they knew they would catch the trio and quickly discipline them.

After a couple of hours wandering the woods the trio knew they did not have the stamina to go on further. "My legs hurt Ion." Young Kyler called out. "I know we need to keep going but if we go further, without rest I doubt I could help in a fight." Ion knew the predicament on them. He knew Kyler was tough enough to not bring this to him unless it was serious. Also he knew his own skills were not exactly adept in the ways of the sword.

"Look there is a crew coming nearby." Ion spoke to his family. "By their sound they cannot be one of the big groups." He looked to Claire who was catching her breath after all the running. She halted her heavy breathing and smiled to Ion as she believed he had a plan to see them through this trouble. "These guys were heavily drunk when they started chasing us. It has been several hours but they should still be slow with their weapons." Kyler looked excited at what he was hearing, his youth was betraying him. While he wanted to steal food, he really wanted his first taste of battle as many young men foolishly desire. "I doubt they will be able to block hardly any of our attacks and they perhaps will not have any armor on them. let's get ready and slay them quick, loot them and then make for the hills where we can camp. The other two agreed that the plan was their best chance at survival.

"I see their trail!" soon the voices of the party following them caught their position. The group was small band of fattened axe wielders. The stench of brew and mead still hot upon their breath, so strong it nearly reached the trio before the light from their torches. Each of the three positioned themselves hidden behind a different tree to allow further advantage when they made their initial strike. The band spread thin their group of five as they hollered and called out to the young people they pursued. The goal of which was to lure them out from the shadow under false promise of lesser punishment.

Soon the steps passed the trios positon. Ion asked them to wait until they fully were in front of them. He wished to gain the best advantage of them before striking.

"YAHHHH!" Claire boldly leapt forward plunging her blade deep into the side of the first man. He spit blood wildly as he fell over in violent agony unable to retaliate as he fell powerless and screaming. The girl quickly removed her knife from the brigand's side and proceeded to slit his throat staying low the whole time. "One down." She whispered in false confidence. She was trying to embolden herself despite the fear and danger around her. The men turned toward their downed companion and now found themselves ready for combat.

"HAHHH!" As an axe thrust downward toward Claire she jolted back and the face of the weapon buried itself into the corpse of the fallen brigand. Claire noticed that as the man attempted to remove it from the body, that the head was stuck in the breastbone of the fallen man. Claire with fear and terror upon her virgin of battle face, having just made her first kill recognized the opportunity at hand. She stabbed wildly under the jawline of the man bewildered by his poor luck. Bringing him to his knees quickly in a succession of 6 uncoordinated slices.

The other 4 moved to purpose at the sight. "NOW KYLER!" Ion called to the younger boy as they emerged from their hiding place. Kyler moved to be beside Claire. He pulled her back from her two kills. And they sized up the two moving toward them. "Which one do you want?" the young boy made a statement as if he had tasted many a fight before, when in reality he was more green than the young maiden was to the ways of combat. Claire signaled that she would take the one on the right leaving the one on the left to Kyler. The young boy smirked at the chance to claim a kill.

Meanwhile, Ion had gained the attention of two of the brigands. Sure Ion had hunting experience and had many times killed beasts to feed the family, yet he was not arrogant or confident in his skills. He was glad however that he got two of them in this situation as he did not want Kyler or Claire being smaller and physically weaker being forced to take on two at once. Also being that both were focused on him, he knew that no one was running back to signal for and find the other groups. "Come here boy, its time for you to meet my axe!" an exhausted and hungover man bellowed as he swung his axe. The chop came quicker than Ion expected, he was able to dodge it, but it left him unbalanced and unable to block or return a thrust from his sword. The other man took this opening shoved the unsharpened top of his axe into the young swordsman's chest. The blunt blow toppled him back a few feet causing the next chop from the first man to miss the boy's head barely.

"Uhhh!" Ion grabbed his side quickly before he regained his balance. He knew he had to make the next move count.

Over nearby Claire now having to face the enemy 1 on 1 without surprise was in quite a predicament. She charged forward and made a jump at the man. He being of descent strength caught her midair by her neck. "My my, are we hiding a beauty underneath those scarves?" the man quickly recognized that she was a woman and fair. His grip wasn't tight but his reach made it impossible for Claire to hit his vitals. She gasped hard for a deep breath and slashed at his arm, gaining a strong blow, but not a severe one to endanger or limit him. However, it did release his grip from her. She hit the ground and moved her free hand to her chest as she breathed heavy. The man winced and yelled then kicked her in her chest knocking her over. "YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he hollered to the girl grasping as her chest on the ground. "You're too feisty for your own good." He kicked her again "I was going to give you special treatment!" he grabbed his arm that was cut dropping his axe. "Uhh that hurt." He moved back to cover his arm and stunt the bleeding offering Claire a moment of respite.

Kyler immediately as his foe came forward charged and attempted to stick him with his spear like a downed boar. He thrust with a smile, even as the brigand repelled the spear thrust. He thrust again and again the image of a hero was playing in his young mind as he glanced each of his thrusts. "I am Kyler and I bring you death!" he yelled "WHA!" the young boy loosed his grip at the wrong moment, the brigand flailed his free arm and knocked the spear from his hand. Reality had set in for the boy. His eyes opened he turned his head to see his arms no longer with spear in hand. He turned back only to see an axe coming forward with authority, and in this moment the boy in Kyler came whimpering out. He ducked and stepped back, then again and again as chop and swat came toward his person.

"What is the matter boy?" the brigand called. He brigand knew the boy was on the ropes. Before too long the boy tripped and fell backward. "HAHAH!" the brigand thought. "Time to die. The brigand lunged forward Kyler in a panic moved his hands into the ground and felt the spear he had previously lost. In a moment of reflex he picked it up and pinned it into the ground below him. Kyler closed his eyes in terror as he pictured his end upon him.

"SHUUNK!" the young man opened his eyes to see the brigands axe deep in the ground to the left of his head, and the tip of the spear sticking out of the back of the brigand. Kyler began hyperventilating at what was before him.

Ion in that moment managed to cleave the jawbone off one of his two combatants. And was now in a fight mono a mono. He and his opponent were tired from the toils of fighting yet both knew the fight was still on. The brigand decided to make a costly error perhaps brought on by drink. He threw the axe at Ion. The young man reacted quickly and parried the blow the flying axe changed direction and found its way into the back of the man who was tormenting Claire. "Sorry Charlie." The now emptyhanded man called as he saw his friend drop to his knees and try to realize why his ability to move was now removed of him. Ion took this opportunity to strike the surprised man and drove his sword straight through his opponent. The man still surprised turned his head to meet the young man's face; he then spat blood upon him as he dropped to his knees and keeled over dead.

The young maiden still holding her side, hobbled to the man who with an axe in his back. He was confused as to why he no longer was able to control his own movements. He was turned around and trying to reach for the axe in his back. Claire pulled herself to her feet and leveled her knife upon his neck. "WAIT WAIT! WA…" the woman dared not let him talk further as she shoved the knife deep into his throat, he fell forward and with his fall the knife was released from his throat. She stood now overlooking the bodies of her first three kills on this late night. She never pictured that it would feel quite like this.

Kyler was still shivering with the dead brigand atop him as the older boy pulled the boy's spear through the back of the dead brigand. He then kicked the lifeless body off his young companion. He then sheathed this sword and extended a hand to pull the young Kyler to his feet. Kyler slowly reached forward and then pulled himself to his feet with his friend's help. Ion handed Kyler his spear which he took. "Ion are…..are you hurt?" Kyler regaining his senses noticed the older boy favoring his left side.

"I got a couple of blunt shots to the ribs and a light cut on my shoulder, but I am going to be fine after a rest." Ion smiled as he tried to know what to say in this situation, her could tell that his young family was troubled greatly by the fighting each in their own way. "Claire are you okay?" he asked the young woman who was now cleaning off her knife. "Are you injured?"

"Nothing serious." She was bleeding from her mouth, and leaning forward to take pressure off her ribs but was otherwise okay.

"Ion. I froze." Kyler teared up as he took ownership of his perceived failure.

"You killed your enemy, and are still alive." Ion hugged the young boy. Kyler hugged his brother back as tears flowed with greater force. "That makes you a warrior in my book brother." The young boy smiled as he still cried. Ion at times forgot just how young Kyler really was.

Claire was still standing over by the men she killed, three in all. Ion saw this and moved to embrace her. As her hugged her from behind she grimaced until fully recognizing it was Ion. He gently kiss the back of her head. "I am proud of you Claire." She fell to her knees and grabbed hold of Ion's arm as she felt a slight bit of humanity overpower her in the moment. She leaned her head back upon his arms. She was thankful for Ion's comfort. The moment was what she needed, somehow Ion was wise enough to know what both she and Kyler needed to pull them through this trying experience. Kyler moved over and nuzzled next to Claire. The three slew six brigands, drunken brigands, but brigands all the same. The swordsman, the thief, and the fresh recruit felt more experienced, but knew the toll and cost of it.

After a few moments, Ion asked the others to help him loot the bodies of any valuables. The three gathered any money and healing potions on hand, they left the axes, as they were all heavy and clumsy weapons for their frames. The group then quickly moved onward to a nearby hill that Ion had knew of a hunting blind where people would store things during hunting treks. These blinds didn't have anything in them these days, but only locals knew where they were and the locations were dep in the woods offering ample protection for the three to take residence for the time.

The group found an appropriate one within a few hours walk. They all dropped and began resting their bodies without any attempt to tidy the place or setup any bedding. Kyler passed out in the corner while Claire laid herself up against the side of Ion. She was confused about so much tonight. Ion had explained prior why she needed to look like a boy, but she had never experienced it firsthand until the look the man who tormented her in battle tonight gave her. She tried to sleep but found her mind racing same as the older boy. "Ion, why are men like that toward women." He honestly knew of lust and desire, but still really had no understanding of their particular demeanor towards Claire. Yes she was pretty, he was aware of this, but why the sight of her sent them into a frenzy the young man honestly could not understand. Yet, he tried to give her an answer he thought made sense.

"Claire, you are young and absent the stain of years." He said as he looked away from her toward the roof of the blind, which was no more than a lodging dugout of the side of a small hill. "Perhaps in their ugly and violent lives, women absent the ugliness they have seen are something amazing to them?" he could tell from the corners of his view that she was not comforted or understanding of that answer. "I honestly don't know sister." Ion knew the two with him were not his biological family yet he saw them as family nonetheless and was thankful to have survived their foolish thievery. He looked over at the small bounty they had collected, it was merely enough for them to share for 4 days, but it was infinitely more than they had prior.

Soon Claire eventually drifted off to sleep which helped relax the older boy. He was thankful. "Praise be to Kaya for another moment's life." He too soon closed his eyes to sleep as dawn approached the dugout.

_AUTHOR'S NOTE_

I hope you guys enjoyed the first taste of active heroism and action :) what do you think of Claire, Ion, and Kyler. i will not give any spoilers but i do hope that i showed these three as having enough initial emotional complexity. obviously in the midst of a battle scene giving depth and breadth to new characters can be tricky.

i know that so far the story may seem like an unrelated serious of 3 chapters yet it imperative for world building and setting up the grand scheme of the world. :)

any thoughts or ideas?


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Onset to the North.

"The Morning is new Highlight!" Shenis called to his favored knight. I had been nearly a week since the guests of the conference of the free lords had left. The young lord was steadfast and hungry to get north on what he deemed a noble quest of righteous freedom for the northern people. Granted the Valtrex house had only oppressed a small number of small towns and farms near their lands they were doing so in ghastly ways the brooded ugliness into the realm and threatened to generate further discord if left unchecked.

"Brother are you really so soon to leave us?" the younger brother of Shenis, Hain called as he moved toward his kin. Shenis nodded in agreement with his brother's statement.

"Little brother you shall be viceroy of the castle here in Jule until my return. I need to free the people of the north." Shenis patted his brother on his head and moved with Shenis outside. The lord had taken stock of the men of Jule and knew who he would take north. Shenis the young lord would travel with his favored knight Highlight. Alongside to accompany the duo the young lord chose Callie a seasoned cavalier with years of combat upon her shoulders. Callie's unit of 10 riders would travel with the lord providing adequate movement and advantage in combat. The lord also asked Bryan a court priest to help with any and all healing. Finally the young master hired a local mercenary to be at his side. A seasoned man of maybe 30 with deep scars upon his side arm shield and face. Despite this he was still handsome in appearance and positive in attitude. His name is Dalton and he came at a shallow price upfront but asked for a bounty for skirmish, to which Shenis agreed.

Shenis knew that ultimately he did not have a large force but felt his cavalry would offer him a stout advantage in combat, and he believed he would be able to rally the people of the north to his cause to liberate them. The young master of Jule also knew and feared taking too many men would result in possible siege upon the city and turmoil.

"Shenis, the cavalry is ready!" Callie said in confidence. She carried a long steel spear with a steel sword sheathed on her side. She was older and mature but in no way ancient. Her armor being of the house Savoy colors white and silver same as the rest of her ten mounted soldiers. She felt confident about the mission; however, she was not thrilled that the young master decided to bring a mercenary into their camp. She eyed him with great dissatisfaction and grimace. He acted as though he didn't notice her contemptuous looks. Being the mercenary he is and spending years and years selling his services he was well aware of how these things were, and why trust would be difficult for him to gain from the sworn men to the grand house of Savoy, people who had spent generations serving the rulers of the castle at Jule. While he stood with tattered brown vest and pants with a red bandana made so by the strongest dye around, blood of the fallen.

The young master unsheathed his crisp and clean rapier and pointed it northward. "Forward my friends we march to free the oppressed peoples of the north." The retinue hollered in excitement and began their march beyond the gates. The viceroy the young Hain of house Savoy stood next to the head priest of the city and the captain of the guard the most seasoned battle veteran of the town, Geary the wall a seasoned knight who trained Highlight. The three stood upon the castle steps and waved to Shenis and his band as they left the city.

Most of the cities and town that had ruling lords and families really did not have standing military or if they did, they were bi-vocational, having two jobs to make sure all the needs of the people were met. Jule was a city but it was minor in nature compared to the major cities of the realm. Dol perhaps housed and cared for a population of 400,000 people nd had a massive city guard. However, Jule in contrast in their last census registered just under 2,000 people. Yet in the realm, they were still one of the grander cities as Wiera really was a sparsely populated continent, and only had maybe 10 or so places notably larger than Jule. Thus, standing fighting men were a luxury and sending out 15 from the city was a risk for the Savoy house, if it became quickly known. Thus Geary, and the head Priest Lamille, were unsettled by the daytime exit of the young lord and his band.

"This will surely draw attention. "Lamille said to Hain. "We need to sure up the defenses immediately." Hain was young and really was not ready for the leadership role placed upon him.

"He's right master Hain." Geary agreed the two immediately broke from Hain and went to make a plan to ensure the safety of the town from whatever would come forth as the march would surely go noticed within a month as merchants and such reached nearby townships and cities.

"What am I to do." The young master Hain said as he sat down on the pavement. The boy really no more than 12 years of age while Shenis was near the end of his teenage years. However, Hain was of little to no talent with a blade and was often thought of as a dandy and not one to grow into a warrior. The young man was confused at the situation and looked to the sky, he thought of his fallen parents whom he lost to illness and accident years past wondered what they would do in their rule of the city. "Father, Mother, what am I to do."

Meanwhile down the street outside one the building a man stood in the shadows chuckling at what he saw. "What a foolish man this house has fallen under. Shenis will surely lose everything." He chuckled a bit more before moving toward a pigeon coop. He quickly gathered parchment and ink and wrote the following message. _The eldest bluebird has left the nest. _The sigil of house Savoy was a blue jay. The man quickly rolled the parchment and loaded it into a bird's foot and then he kissed the bird for good luck and tossed it into the air showing it to purpose. The bird quickly flapped it wings and set itself forth to the sky flying quickly past the perch where the bewildered lord Hain sat and over the castle where Lamille and Geary planned on recruitment and training. Before too long the bird was beyond the city of Jule and flying toward its destination.

"Calle. Send a rider ahead to scout the lands north. We need to make sure we have good intelligence as we march." Calle agreed with the words of her master. The retinue was about 3 hours march from the gates and already much of the land ahead was unsure for the small force as things can change quickly in the unsettled areas.

"Tico!" Calle called upon her fastest rider. The boy was lean and young and kept only a small sword as his weapon to keep his weight down so as to keep his horse free of fatigue as much as possible. "Tico go and ride forward roughly a 2 days ride and return to us. You shall be our scout on this war. Be swift and provide us with solid intelligence on the lands and situations ahead." The young rider bowed atop his steed as he fully understood the duty and its importance, then he gulped as he knew what danger scouting could frequently present a man. Calle signaled him on and the rider galloped off into the distance and before too long he was no longer in sight. The band was now just 14 in all with the priest driving a large caravan wagon, which held tenting, and supplies for the small band. the troop moved with Calle in the lead of the formation with the cavaliers trotting along as a perimeter around the wagon. Shenis sat atop the wagon next to Bryan as was his expectation as the lord of the party. Highlight and Dalton the mercenary brought up the rear of the party and if there was ever an odd pair to make conversation it was a young knight and a seasoned mercenary. Nevertheless, Dalton was content to be sure his journey was a pleasant one.

"So Highlight," he spoke to his walking companion as he pulled out his pipe and lit it up. His sword sheathed upon his back as well as his shield. "how does one get a name like that?" He puffed a few puffs and then looked to the young knight with spear and shield held with purpose.

"My name is actually Jai Alai." The knight responded.

"Oh so you're from the Southern lands. That would explain the tan of your skin." The mercenary retorted. Highlight bladed his eyes back at the mercenary expecting a racist remark to follow the sentence. "I was curious about you. When did your family begin serving the Savoy household. You obviously have been here at least your whole life, since you have no trace of any Southern accent."

Highlight was calmed slightly by the remark. He could tell the man was merely making observation and not attempting to belittle him. "My father was rescued by Baron Cor, the father of Shenis years ago when I was a baby." Highlight began to speak proudly. "My father joined up with Baron Cor and then was offered a place at the Savoy table and house for my mother and me."

"So where are they now?" the mercenary asked. Highlight tensed a bit but his integrity spurred him forward in conversation, and besides, what else was there to do on the march, other than to continue marching if he would not make conversation.

"My father fell in a battle protecting lord Cor. My mother still serves at the castle to this day. I was raised alongside lord Shenis and was even offered the same education. Lord Cor also saw to it that Captain Knight Geary trained me in heavy armor and fighting. I am eternally grateful." The mercenary kept puffing and as he walked he arched his armed fold behind his head as he kept thinking.

"But why the name Highlight? Where did that come from?" Dalton asked the young man.

"Lord Shenis as a boy could not pronounce Jai Alai' so he called me Highlight. Soon the whole of the city knew me as such and ultimately I enjoyed the nickname so it did not bother me." The knight slightly blushed at the telling of where his name came from as he was sure to the outsider it made no sense why he would allow the nickname to stick. Highlight just kept walking in pace hoping the topic would change or that Dalton would not think him weak for allowing the nickname.

"So…does Shenis know you are in love with him?" the mercenary asked the knight. Highlight immediately went fully red in the face and stopped marching as the mercenary simple kept on moving and smoking his pipe. After a few moments the knight shook his head and proceeded to quickly catch up to the mercenary who was unabated and failed to notice his companion fall behind.

"Why would you think that, that's a silly thought!" Highlight's eyes being so wide instantly betrayed his sentence.

"Come on friend, don't be ashamed I saw the way you looked at him all day. You barely ever had a free eye to watch where you were walking, and you always looked just so happy."

Shaking his hands violently in disagreeable panic toward Dalton, the knight replied. "NO! you don't understand that is not a thing!"

"Come on friend." The mercenary wrapped an arm around the panicked knight's head as they continued walking. "I'm fine with it, besides, I am just dandy with knowing that you won't be competing against me for the attention of the ladies we run into on our journey, and your handsome youth could have been trouble if you were not already dwelling your heart on another type of stock." The knight looked as panicked as ever. "Do not worry young one. I have no intention of spoiling the secret, or forcing you to voice your love for the man paying my fee."

Highlight bowed his head as he let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you Dalton. "I really appreciate it." To be honest Highlight had not yet prior to this moment fully be aware of his affection for the young master, and while he knew that Shenis was both above him and a man, Highlight knew the feelings were true. He felt a slight relief grow with each step as he realized he had a friend who understood him and knew of his desires and yet, respected and accepted them. For homosexuality was seen with great disgust in most of the realm and unheard of in others. "Dalton…I know it will never be as he is a lord and even if he felt the same he would be required to further the line, and also I am beneath him. However, I do still find my heart full, for him." The young Knight clenched his hand over his heart as he despite this being the first time this was said or even actively thought aloud by him, he knew it to be the dire truth.

"Highlight, Life is offensive." Dalton said as he reloaded his pipe for another go. "Who can say what the future may hold." Highlight pondered this as they continued walking. Dalton stopped talking to take in a few puffs. "…Hopefully it finds myself between a great pair of tits before too long." The two bellowed out in laughter as they seemed to draw the attention of the whole band as no one else was having anywhere as lively conversation.

…...

Far away a pigeon landed in a castle hall and a note was read to seated lord who in that moment found himself fully thrilled at the news of Shenis' leave from Jule. "Good. Soon we shall institute a new rule and chaos upon the land."

...Author's Note...

so yes we have a rag tag mercenary who is full of life and loves the ladies. lol. What do you guy think of Dalton? i rather enjoy him! Also i hope i portrayed the unrequited and forlorn nature of Highlight's affection for Shenis as logical and real, and believable. that is important to me.

who is your favorite character so far?


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Lances Ready Ahead!

A week north of Jule was where the scout Tico found his first visual of rowdiness upon the horizon. A small village with no more than 40 residents, a place where no family would have any listed presence in the free lands as the resources would be too few with the exception being possibly times of war. "Now why would they have the red jackal sigil of Valtrex hanging from the houses and structures?" Tico thought aloud as he leaned forward in his saddle. He quickly kept low and moved along toward a nearby group of trees where he dismounted and tied up his steed to try and limit his exposure in the off chance that anyone nearby was keeping tabs on the possibility of visitors. "Stay horsey." He petted the forehead of his horse and then went full prone as he moved closer for a better chance to see what the scenery ahead was. He kept his eyes closely watching as he knew from prior experience that one could never predict when valuable information would present itself in these situations.

Tico's position was nearly 200 meters from the edge of the closest building but he could see all he needed to see. Before too long he could see three men practicing sword craft outside the inn. Tico looked further and noticed that not once in the entire time he was around did anyone come or go from the town. Granted this was a tiny village, so small his maps did not even list it. Yet, most places would at least have some level of travel and commerce. It became clearly visible that the occupation forces were not a short-term force but were ultimately a long-term stay. "So the house of Valtrex is trying to become a kingdom and not simply a Regent lordship, this very act violates everything of the free lands." Then Tico thought longer and wondered how that could endure, especially since Shenis was marching north anyway. "Tico, Tico, Tico….Politics are not my place. Leave that bologna to the priests and highborn who have soft hands and endless free time."

Tico stood watch for a day longer and gathered what he believed was a reliable tally of their strengths as a force before he returned to his nag and under cover of nightfall rode back to the retinue a day or so ride behind him.

As he returned to the side of his lord he was warmly greeted by all. "Tico!" Shenis called forth to the scout. "What news do you have from the forefront?"

"Master I have quite a lot of news." Tico rode to the side of the wagon where Shenis sat next to Bryan the priest. "About a day forward there is a small village unmarked by my map."

"Yes there can be quite many of these small places." Shenis retorted. "Usually they are only known of if the nearest ruling family has a tie to the people settled there." The young lord was all too familiar with the commonness of these things. He nodded to Bryan to pull over the cart. "Calle, we'll set up camp and plan the attack here!" he called to the cavalier in the lead. She signaled to the others and all dismounted and set up a perimeter. Many were thrilled to have a rest.

Tico quickly setup a war table and drew up a map of the local town ahead. "Here, this is the main place where I believe that they have most of their military stationed." Tico pointed to the inn as all around kept their eyes glued to the table. Calle was most curious as she knew that she had the most combat experience of the lot.

"What is their standing size?" the young lord asked.

"Roughly 10 or so." Tico replied confidently, "maybe a few more, but the village would not be able to hold such numbers for the long term as it seemed to be designed."

"Is this a tyrannical oppression? Or does it seem that Valtrex has annexed the land?" Bryan asked the scout. This question struck hard to the group as prior to that statement really none had thought about that possibility, even the young master Shenis really had not pondered that possibility. Even though the idea really was more possible than he could have imagined, as not everyone lived in a perfect, safe, and civil city like he did.

"Master Shenis. Are we trying to conquer lands too?" Highlight asked of his lord. He trusted the young Savoy fully and would blindly support him regardless but he truly was curious as to what he would say in response.

"To be honest, I have not planned on annexing lands as if we were going to turn our House into a Country." Two nations did exist on Wiera, far more massive and with long settled borders unlike the free lands, which were all a collective of self-governed city-states. The two nations were on opposite ends of the continent, Yannis, and Archana. The free lands had been as such for as long as anyone could remember and honestly nobody really had plans to change it. Simply because of just how much it would cost to maintain and all the extra men needed to keep safe al because of a pledged allegiance to some banner that based itself nowhere nearby.

"I have an idea what you're thinking my patron." The mercenary spouted as he rested an arm on Shenis' shoulder. "Look, these small towns in Countries are actually safer if done so in earnest versus when in free lands."

"What do you mean Dalton?" The young lord was puzzled by the words of his paid hand.

"The villages when absent a house or outside a country are basically endless targets for oppression due to them not having a nearby military presence or a patrolled border guarding the lands of the kingdom." As Dalton continued to speak Shenis and Highlight as well as Bryan were all pondering the words he spoke and what they meant. Perhaps conquest and annexing of lands would be in their future. However, now they had a simple task at hand, the liberation of these people.

"Let's get back to business gents." Calle spoke as she broke everyone from their thoughts and philosophical ponderings. "What is the plan?"

All stood over the map for a good minute or two before Bryan spoke. "I have an idea." He said, "It will require bravery on our unmounted fighters, but should allow us to draw the enemy from the town, which will limit any potential harm to the townsfolk and allow us to not get pulled into a shoot where our cavalry would be unable to maneuver."

"Well Lets here it!" the young master spoke up.

"All right! We will position the wagon here out of sight in case something forces us to retreat. Our forces will separate into two squadrons, cavalry and infantry. Calle you will ride west of the town and stay fully out of view of the town at all times so as to make it seem as though you do not exist. Meanwhile, Shenis will lead the rest of us forward with banners waving into the field area towards the town. I hope that this will stir them and seeing that we only have four of us on foot they should be eager to fully move to slay us." Dalton giggled at the thought but understood that his purpose with the lord, knight, and priest was to be a good bait.

Calle seemed very supportive of the plan. "How will I know when to ride forward with the cavalry?"

"I shall cast a healing spell but target it to the sky so that its light will refract and be a signal to you." Bryan replied. All understood the task at hand for each of them.

"Good plan Bryan!" the lord said. "Let us move to position and sleep with a roof over our head tonight!" all shouted in support of the plan. Calle and the riders quickly mounted their horses and moved to their positon to the west of the village ready to ride lances out upon them. Meanwhile the infantry parked the wagon and tied the horses pulling it to a tree. The group moved forward all four of them towards the view of the town.

Before too long they were in view of the village. "Hey boss, Hey Zim! HEY Zim!"

"What you miserable oaf?" the leader of the group hollered back. He was chowing on a chop of mutton sitting at the long table in the inn as the yelling reached his ear.

"Boss, there looks to be a group of would be heroes headed our way!" the grunt replied as he leaned inside the inn to tell the news. The words excited the boss as well as the others who really hadn't had a fight since they took hold of the town and slaughtered most all of the menfolk.

"Well let us go and slay these righteous do-gooders!" all shouted in agreement and quickly grabbed their axes and spears. Zim himself grabbed his sword and they all quickly moved out of the inn and onto the field. Zim rallied everyone together in excitement and the soldiers of Valtrex moved onward.

"There is only four of them boss, this won't be too much fun."

"Then make sure and make it count."Zim replied. The men approached the field way quicker than were expected as they were truly eager to fight.

"Tico was right." Bryan spouted as he clutched his staff. "There is only 12 of them in all." Shenis already had his rapier unsheathed. Meanwhile Dalton was stretching before drawing his sword. He did have a small shield but ultimately it was little more than an armguard. Highlight stood next to his lordship.

"Bryan perhaps you should stand behind us three." The priest nodded as the enemy closed in close. Within a few more steps the opposing force halted. Which was quite unexpected by all.

"So I suspect you wish to die you motley lot!" Zim called to the group. "The only reason I am giving you an opportunity to flee is because I can tell by your man's armor and your dress and weapon that you are nobility, and I do not lightly wish to deal with your family getting all angry because they have a fool prancing about playing hero!" the Valtrex men laughed as they heard their captain's words. Shenis was not impressed and thus pointed the tip of his blade at Zim.

"You have no right to these people and no manners, and soon you shall have no manhood." The young lord proclaimed boldly. The words gave Dalton a sharp giggle as he cracked his neck.

"Hey Bryan." The mercenary spoke to the quivering priest standing behind the front three. "I'm not strategist but perhaps now would be a wise time to send your signal." The priest paused for a second and then as Zim signaled the charge He muttered a short prayer and sent a healing ball into the sky.

"HHAHHA!" Zim laughed, "EVEN BETTER they have a priest absent damaging magic!" Zim and his men thought the light was a failed spell and not a signal.

To the west, Calle and the riders saw the signal. "Tico stay behind the front as you carry no lance." She called to her scouting cavalier. The scout moved to position. "Cavaliers of house Savoy! Lances READY!" All the cavalry hoisted their lances high then nocked them in into positon to mitigate as much blowback as possible from contact. "RIDE!" Calle recognized that all were ready she turned around and kicked her steed into a gallop. The others followed suit. Tico unsheathed his blade as well and followed along at the rear of the riders but nonetheless in the fold.

"I hope they can move fast." Dalton spoke as the Valtrex men closed in. They were maybe thirty paces away and closing ground quickly as he spoke. Shenis, emboldened by youth and a privileged life was absent fear; however, Highlight carried enough caution for both of them.

As the first man reached striking range Shenis readied his sword to parry the blow. However, Highlight sunk his spear deep into the chest of the enemy. "Highlight I can handle myself." The lord jokingly hollered as the enemy fell to the ground and Highlight removed his lance.

"Pardon My liege!" the knight immediately hoisted his shield to block a strike from a man to his right. The fight was on. Dalton dodged a quick blow and then in flashy bliss front flipped and shoved his blade deep into his shoulder of the man. He then swung his legs forward and pushed off to release the sword from the man and shove him into several others knocking them backward several steps.

Shenis surged strongly with poise. He plunged his blade tip into the neck of one and immediately pulled the blade to parry the blow of another. Yet, his actions left him blind to his side. Highlight quickly recognized this as another soldier moved a spear toward his lord's back. Highlight bluntly wacked the soldier he was fight back to create space and pushed himself in front of the spear thrust. "SHUNK!" the tip sunk through his armor, though he was able to position himself as best as possible to limit the damage He did however drop to his knee from the initial shock of pain before he grit his teeth and slung his lance around once more catching the side of the soldier who pierced him. Bryan seeing the pain Highlight was in immediately began incanting a healing spell for his companion.

Zim could see that these four were not ordinary country nobility, but Highlight's injury showed the opportunity available to beat them. He moved toward the Knight. Shenis was fully unaware of his guardian's pain and continued flamboyantly waving and prancing his blade about cutting with precision but nonetheless absent ideals of defense. Dalton meanwhile ducked under a sharp spear thrust and summersaulted forward and slashed in a circle robbing the soldier of his legs before he ended the man's misery.

Highlight regained his form quickly as the priest's healing arts helped steady him to continue. He parried two more thrusts before a kick knocked him over. Zim used his boot to injured side of the young knight to knock him off balance and provide an opportunity to gain advantage. The Knight toppled over unexpectedly and had quickly regain his sense so the he used his shield to block a downward thrust from the enemy leader. Highlight quickly parried three more swats from the leader as he tried to return to his feet.

"BRHHHHH!" "NEIGHHH!" The sounds of horses thundered swiftly in from the west, distracting the entirety of the field. Dalton used this confusion to remove the head of the combatant directly in front of him. Zim scowled as he looked back to see the riders coming in the remaining men of his troop all turned tail and ran quickly but their pace was nothing compared to the horses and each was rundown with spear and lance. Calle and the cavalry quickly slew all that remained and now only Zim stood tall among the enemy. Though he was bewildered at the turn of events. In seeing his men all fall to the rush of horses into the fray the fight left his eyes, as he knew victory was gone from him. His hands lost their strength and his sword now became a heavy weight for him to carry. He still held the tip but the blade itself now rested its head in the dirt. Shenis noticed this and moved in front of the beaten captain. He held he point of his rapier at his throat. And used it to hoist his eyes to meet his.

"Any last words?" the young lord asked the man in respect.

"Burn you brigands!" the man spat into the face of the lord. Shenis temporarily ignored the spit upon his face and shoved the slender tip of the rapier through Zim's neck. He coughed and spewed blood before falling over on his back to death. The battle was won!

"MEN WE HAVE WON!"

"HAZZAH!" the all cried at the proclamation of victory. The small band's plan had worked without flaw. Not a single soldier on the Savoy side had fallen. While the entire Valtrex force lay dead in the field.

"Cavaliers let us gather up the bodies over there and burn them quickly. Check them first for anything of use or worth." Calle called to her men as she dismounted her horse.

"Highlight are you hurt?" Shenis now realized as he looked over at his trusted friend and guard.

"Only a little my liege." The knight played the wound off, as the pain was now manageable due to the healing spell from Bryan. Shenis ordered Bryan to take Highlight into the inn to fully treat and wrap his wound. Shenis and Dalton went back and fetched the supply wagon from where they stashed it.

Bryan and Highlight entered the inn and were somewhat warmly welcomed by the keeper, as they were thrilled to be rid of the freeloaders but were cautious as to what a new lord would bring. They showed them to bed and Bryan cleaned and dressed the wound as the cavaliers finished their task and took the horses to the makeshift stable the tavern offered. Just then the wagon rode in and Shenis and Dalton parked the wagon outside the inn. "Men go to every household and invite every homestead to a meeting outside of here I want to speak to the village as a collective and reduce their concern of us."

The men did as told and soon most all of the villagers were amassed in front of the inn. Shenis looked them over and could tell that there were hardly any men in the cluster, mostly women and some small children. "Hello all, I am Shenis Savoy, ruler of the City of Jule to the South. I have come to liberate the villages and towns under the rule of house Valtrex." He could tell they were still nervous and not fully aware of his intentions. "May I ask you if we may stay here as we figure out our next move? Does anyone have knowledge of anything about the Valtrex' army throughout the region?"

After a few moments of awkward silence the innkeeper spoke up. "Good sir, I believe I can be of help."

"Thank you! Can we talk inside and rest at your inn?" He asked of the innkeeper. Calle then pulled a pouch of gold from the wagon and handed it to the innkeeper. To which she was overwhelmed with joy. Seeing the money handed over warmed the people up to Shenis and his troops as before too long all were cheering and thanking the soldiers for their relief. They could tell from the payment of use of the inn that this was not the same type of military experience they were previously host to under Valtrex.

Through the conversation with the innkeeper and her family they discovered that Valtrex had taken control of a host of other villages all around the North with the exception of Winter's edge which was a large township without proper rule, host to trappers, traders, and people who spend their years mostly beyond the mountain pass.

"By the way what is this village called?" Shenis asked the innkeeper. "It was not on our maps."

"Why welcome to Riserstead." She answer. "Please may I ask, feel free to use our town as a base camp for your northern expedition if you like." The young master and Calle liked that response. "However, may I ask, do you plan on claiming our village as part of your lands as House Valtrex did?" the question carried weight with it. Shenis really had not yet thought of that, but ultimately he did need to decide eventually as what would happen after he sacked these towns and removed the red jackal from the buildings? What would happen then?

He looked to Callie and Dalton who was pounding down a strong flagon of ale as he smooth talked a woman serving him drink. He thought for a brief second of Highlight in the other room being tended to by Bryan. "To be honest kind lady, I do not know. But as this day has progressed it has come to my awareness that villages like yours are exposed to trouble absent proper protection. We may have to figure something out later on, but for now I am only seeking to right the wrongs brought upon your people over the last several years."

The answer was met with earnest enthusiasm as she could tell the lord was sincere in his words. Shenis was young, but she could see he had loyal followers and an earnest heart to do right, even if he was somewhat overzealous and arrogant in his actions.

_AUTHOR"S NOTE_

Hazzah for Shenis, sure he is blinded by his privileged life in combat but he does have some skill. However Dalton is a straight up beast! I really like the tone of this chapter. The Battle wasn't too drug out for such a small inconsequential skirmish. and Most importantly we see that really the Valtrex occupation was planned as permanent but was not thought of as needing serious military housing.

Dalton or Highlight? which is your favorite?

do you want me to bring back the orphaned trio of Til soon?


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Alert Alert!

As the dawn Rose anew over the village of Riserstead. The new Lord of the town found him and the rest of his retinue resting and enjoying the pleasantries that only a building with a roof could afford.

Yet on the horizon, a rider slowly approached. He armor bore a red jackal sigil upon it. The man was a courier for the House of Valtrex doing a routine information exchange with the stationed military outposts. He approached the village as he normally would on these routes, yet as he approached, he pulled back hard upon the reigns of his nag. Something was off, and before he was within 50 meters of the outermost building on the north side of the village he could tell. He leaned forward in the saddle as he looked onward to try and figure out what was going in the village. Suddenly, he noticed that none of the banners of Valtrex were flying, and he then noticed that a smoldering pile of ash was just to the south of the village. He did not approach to learn what was in the pile because he already knew. It was the ash of those fallen in a recent skirmish.

"I have got to get this information back to Lord Fulcrum!" He said aloud as he tugged on the reigns of the steed to turn around. He immediately dug his heels into the horse's side to force a strong gallop, as haste was an utmost need in this report. The horse neighed loudly as it took off quickly and before another moment was past the rider was no longer in sight of the town.

"What was all that noise?" A disheveled Dalton questioned as he opened a door and emerged from a house at the edge of town. His shirt open and his pants absent him. The man seemed slow from drink and a night of exhaustive pleasure.

"Dalton! Get back to bed!" A feminine voice called from inside. Dalton smiled as he returned his focus to inside the home, content to continue satisfying his desires. The mercenary believed that it was of the utmost to make the most of any and all opportunity to be inside the embrace of a good woman, as he, being a mercenary, never would truly know when his last dance would be. He shut the door firmly behind him as the rider aforementioned continued a blistering pace northward.

….

Days and days had passed, but alas in the north life moves slow and while Shenis had Tico out mapping the nearby terrain and troop locales, the rider from Valtrex had found his way home. All the way to the city of Valor, the largest feudal system city in the free north. The city was nowhere near the size of Dol, but having nearly 60,000 residents made the city quite large in comparison to many of the lands and certainly more so than the tiny city of Jule far to the south. The rider rode through the main south gate and kept his pace all through the main thoroughfare until he reached the castle. Once he reached the steps he dismounted and tied his steed before blitzing forward into the hall.

"MY Liege! My Liege!" he called as he moved around main hall searching for where the Valtrex family would be found. Before too long a voice called to him from the dining hall. The scout moved to their and once inside he found several armed knights as well as the full Valtrex head family in attendance having a quaint evening meal. Seated at the head of the table was Lord Fulcrum, a lord who made his name years past as a general class heavy knight. He was in his late fifties but with his large body and healthy diet he still had immense strength upon his body. His hair was even still mostly black with slivers of silver lining the edges. Next to him on his right was his wife, who while was not the father of any of his children. She was a warrior in his military who became jealous of Fulcrum's wife ten years back for hogging all the prime food, at least that was what she perceived. She then challenged Lady Valtrex for the spot as Lady of the House. Lord Fulcrum, enjoyed the passion shown by the woman and with lust in his heart for toned form happily accepted the fight to the death. Meagan slew his prior wife in a matter of seconds. Lord Fulcrum and his children laughed when the deceased fell. He immediately married the warrior.

On the one side of the table were the two sons of Fulcrum, Flynn and Peter. Both were tall and strong like their father with long flowing black hair. Flynn being the firstborn and rightful heir to Valor's rule followed his father in the heavy knight form of fighting and had recently achieved general status. Peter however was a skilled Warrior having spent the last few years being trained by him stepmother. As being much the common custom in many of the lands the ruling elite tended to be the most skilled in combat as they were afforded the best armor, opportunity to train, and food to keep strong. Sure there were many skilled guards in the castle but the family itself were far more scary then perhaps all else in Valor.

"What is the news that you interrupt my feasting?" the lord father asked as he dropped his leg of mutton. Meagan meanwhile continued eating, she was in as bronzed a shape as any man and thus had an appetite to put many to shame.

"M' lord. The village of Riserstead has been taken from us!" the news was met with confusion by the family.

"Riserstead?" Fulcrum was truly puzzled he tilted his head and rested a hand upon his head. "What is Riserstead?" the reply floored the scout at first. After a moment he got off the ground and brushed himself off remembering that Riserstead was a minor of minor villages, one the family was really only occupying in place of building a southern garrison to help create a formal border.

"Riserstead was our southern most advanced position in your conquest efforts. It was fallen I saw it with my own eyes, our soldiers all dead and burned." The news hit with Fulcrum but none of the others really noticed the words as if it was of no importance."

"Malachi!" the ruling lord called for the attention of his assistant a well known court druid by the name of… "Malachi…what was the number of men we had stationed at Riserstead?" The druid quickly grabbed his personal ledger and began riffling through before he came to the page containing the answer.

"11 soldiers in all under captain Zim." Fulcrum nodded at the news.

"11 soldiers dead, must have been a gaggle of dandies." Meagan laughed as she began crunching on a bone. All in the room let out a stout chuckle before Fulcrum returned the conversation back to topic.

"What was the provisional value of the garrison in yield of crops, supplies, gold and people?" Fulcrum clearly did not mourn the passage of men but needed to know the losses were not fool hearty and a serious blow to his military effort.

"Well the population is around 40, no one to draft, the crop yield was about two percent of the collective return, and the commerce yield was less than one percent." The druid replied.

"So Malachi in losing this village are we okay as things are currently spread and rationed? After all the initial point of expanding our domain had really nothing to do other than to simply secure greater farm and provisional territory for the safety and comfort of our people here in Valor." Fulcrum's words were true, while his marriage situation and conquests would paint him to be a tad barbaric and cruel he ultimately wanted the best for the large number of people under his charge and needed to expand his access to workable soil as the north was filled with hard ground and short seasons of planting.

"Lord Fulcrum we should be okay. We really never took Riserstead for resources, after all its so small I doubt any lords from the south or west would have it listed on their maps. We merely took it to allow us to have a military border and eventually use it to help migrate people safely from the city to start a new town a day or so north of the village. As borders really provide safety and full usage of every inch of what is inside." Fulcrum listened well to the words of the druid.

"How large is our standing military presence across the land?" Flynn asked as he entered into the conversation. The topics of war and combat would always gain his attention. Peter at the sound of his brother's voice also took a keen interest.

"Well…We have currently 12 commissioned banner men with a standing force." The druid spoke as he turned the pages to look over the military details. "Lord Fulcrum carries a personal guard of 200 men. Lady Meagan being commander of the military has 300 armed at her command. Flynn and Peter both have a personal retinue of 100 apiece. Lurch in Til carries 40 at his command. Camos camped near Winter's Edge on watch against the undisciplined folk carries 50 men. Wiley here in the city commands the city patrol and has 30 men. Erin leads the wall's guard and has 40 archers. Dune who controls the mining village of Brush for us has 20 men. Malt who runs the village of Karn for us has 30 men at his command. Lastly your brother Keith and his son Olec. They are both currently at Port Blanc which we recently took control of last December. In last report, Olec had 80 under his command and Keith had 40. Though do remember they are bolstering and recruiting to begin the campaign you gave them permission to wage further East toward Aath and House Mert. This puts our total standing trained military at 1030 strong."

"Don't you have a college of those studying dark magic in your charge good Malachi?" Peter asked of the druid.

"I do but I am not a commissioned officer so I leave myself off the register." The druid responded.

"Well thank you for the update Malachi." Fulcrum responded. He sat back in his chair as he thought about his military needs. The more things worked over in his mind the better understanding of what he needed to do. He wanted to regain Riserstead as it played a strategic advantage for migrating people to the south and creating room in the city for proper construction, renovation and expansion as the city had exploded in populous over the last few generations as relative peace was upon them and compared to the normal harshness of winter endured by the north the last few had been much more manageable allowing for unplanned growth in people. He also however, had no clue who was the house behind the defeat at Riserstead, it could have been brigands, but if it was a major house such as House Bruin of Dol with their massive population to supply a truly grand army, then Fulcrum had no desire to tussle with them.

"Scout did you see any banners present?" he asked the rider who had caught his breath and was standing at attention at the foot of the table.

"No..No sire…No banners did I see." The scout felt ill for not being able to provide an answer the Lord sought.

"Bother, so for all we know if could be a roving gang of bandits." The lord lightly slammed his hand on the table. "Scout, did their look to be a large presence in the town or minor in number of hostiles present?"

"Sire…I doubt the occupying force is anything larger than what we had stationed there. It's a very small village, even the smallest addition of personnel my eyes would have been able to recognize." This answer was one the scout was far more confident in heralding. He could see a few more horses but really nothing to suggest any massive influx of new blood into the tiny village.

"Good. Good." Fulcrum thought. "Family I have an idea!" his words caught the attention of all. Even Meagan who had her feet up on the table and was now stretching her arms. "We want to regain control, but we have no clue who this is, and are unaware of the exact number of men occupying the position. Yet, we do know the force cannot be too grand in number. Therefore, Malachi our military academy, how many are in training this season under cousin Lester?"

"Last time I checked he had 37 recruits who could walk." Malachi chuckled a tad as he reported. "Phew. Pardon the giggle, Lester is a rather though soldier on those recruits, he certainly keeps the cities priesthood adept at their healing arts."

"Good cousin Lester will take the trainees as his own standing force. Send this scout with him, and be sure to send a few temple priests as well." The lord spoke.

"Father! Let me do this!" Flynn slammed both hands on the table in ager at the statement. "Why send weak recruits and Lester, anyone in this room can best Lester, sure he is a legend against the untrained but against anyone here he would amount to nothing more than piss and shit."

"Flynn sit-down." Meagan uttered still sitting back in her chair. "Do you not understand what your father wishes to do?" Flynn was silent and confused by the statement. He tilted his head toward his step mother unsure what she meant. "Look Flynn, we do not know who or what is backing this invasive force. For all we know it could be a trap by a massive military, heck for all we know they saw our scout here leaving the village and are mounting a defense. We simply have no clue. Now look I would love nothing more than to blindly go in there and slaughter the enemy and wave the colors proudly but we cannot let ourselves get into trouble."

"So if we do not know then why send recruits and Lester?" the eldest son asked. "Why not send one of us here at the table or Uncle Keith and his son? Surely any of those options has a higher success rate!"

"Because my son." Fulcrum decided to enlighten his heir. "If we send you or a seasoned military into a trap then we are at a loss, but if Lester goes then we only lose recruits, and a member of House Valtrex."

"OHHHH!" Peter piped up. "I get it Lester is older and a lesser member of the house but still bears the Valtrex name, if he falls then whoever is responsible we are allowed by free state code to seek vengeance absent recoil or moral right of a coalition from other houses."  
"EXACTLY!" the lord replied to his second born. "And if we win the village back then Lester can promote all the recruits and establish a true outpost and formal presence there as we thus once more expand our border." The plan finally made sense to all in the room. "Scout what is your name good rider?"

"Orlando my lord." The rider replied loyally as he bowed.

"Orlando, go and inform Lester of his mission, inform him all who are in the garrison that success in the mission means they become full soldiers in our army and the rations and wages that such grants them for service." Orlando bowed once more as he turned on his heel and exited toward the training barracks.

As he quickly exited the building he was soon stopped by Malachi the court druid, "Now young Orlando, please be wise and stay as a courier, while you are a cavalier, do not enter the fray as one, please stay back and observe, pay attention to whom we are fighting and such, immediately after the battle, whatever the result you will report back to the family here. Do you understand?" the rider nodded, he would keep his distance and stay clear of the fighting in the campaign to reclaim Riserstead.

….

Later on after all the news had been spread to those about to march, the evening was late and lord Fulcrum entered his bathing chamber of the castle to have words with his wife who was already enjoying the warmed water's effect. "Lady Valtrex." He called to her as he sat down alongside her bath.

"Yes my husband." Her tone was tough but with a touch of affection in the words. "I know you understand my plan but do you think it wise?"

"Husband, we have expanded greatly in the recent years, and your people prosper under this time, as such our military is somewhat spread. Sure you could risk your boys, but what if they were captured or slain. And you yourself cannot go for your place is here my husband. And most of all even though I crave a good battle, we both know you'd miss my thighs after a few days." Fulcrum let out a strong smile as he moved toward his bathing war priestess.

"You're right my wife. My lust for you is as strong as it was back before you challenged my old wife for her place." He felt passion for her even now after nearly ten years, but how could he not, everything about her body was toned, strong, yet not masculine in its presentation. Not at all. He entered the pool, still fully clothed to claim his woman. "Has a man ever had such a woman at his side?" he spoke as he kissed his woman with aggressive passion. She bit his lip slightly and as he winced, she smiled and licked the blood from his lip up.

"Never before, and never again." She said playfully.

...AUTHOR"S NOTE...

Surprise House Valtrex is not a 1 dimensional house of evil conquest but are merely a house seeking the best for their people while being tactful at the same time.

yes we introduced the names of many many characters here however really the main ones to pick for now are going to be the ones that were present in the room as they planned this next ploy.

Lord fulcrum is older and lustful but has a desire to be a good lord to the people i would assume for now he has no knowledge of the ill treatment presented by his military in the field.

Meagan is based on a woman i know in real life, she is that fitness junkie woman who is amazingly ripped in all the ways anyone would want to be and i wanted to make a strong almost amazon type character without being so massive and built that she lacked sex appeal. Meagan's character is not a BIG BERTHA monster lady, but a Wonder Woman type, strong but not buff. lean from her work regiment, but still having a healthy appetite.

What do you think of Orlando the scout?

who is your favorite character to date? from all groups? From Shenis' camp? the trio outside of Til, or the Valtrex house?


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Is that a Rock or a Mass of Soldiers Coming Here?

"Two and a half weeks we have been marching." Complained a simple recruit as his lance was digging deep into his shoulder from a grueling day's march. The 37 under charge of the soldier captain Lester Valtrex were marching hard toward battle. Many in the platoon were simply joining the military to escape hunger and poverty in the city, as the place was still overpopulated, yes several caravans had been moving into the nearby Valtrex' lands but those were still too few in the land, and hunger was still a present factor even in spite of Fulcrum's best efforts.

"It cannot be too much farther. It's not like we're going to the south coast." Another recruit spoke out releasing a light chuckle at the thought.

At the head of the unit was Orlando upon his horse, he was the only with a horse other than those in the four four wagon train hauling rations and supplies. Next to Orlando leading the march was Lester himself. He was in his early 60's, and while he was becoming frailer with the march of each day, he was still respected and vastly better than the general soldier was as the landed gentry often were in life. He never married and never fathered any legitimate children in his life as often happened in the free states that dwelled far far away from other held holds. Valor was the only feudal city in the Northeastern free lands prior to the recent campaigns of Fulcrum, so the Valtrex house never needed to seek political marriage actively to retain alliance and power. So thus, Lester never received pressure to marry, and being his position in the House was nothing special he was not sought out hard for marriage.

Lester was nervous about the battle as he knew in his heart these recruits would cause heavy losses and possibly harm the townsfolk by mistake. Yet, the opportunity to return to battle and for the first time as a commanding officer was a grand spectacle for the season soldier.

"How much further is this town Orlando?" the old leader asked the scout. He had never been this far south, and the only time he had been this far from home was decades ago when he served in an army under Fulcrum's father leading a minor squadron as they sacked Winter's Edge for harboring a traitor to the House.

"Just over this hill we will be able to see the village." The scout spoke as he looked down from his mount toward the weathered noble. He did not enjoy the mission that was his charge but alas, as a scout to the house it was his duty to obey and he did understand the strategy at play being that he in his previous scouting failed to ascertain several key factors at play in Riserstead. Orlando was thrilled to know that the lord he served knew him by name, but felt guilty that he perhaps in bringing the limited news he gathered may be sending the men with him to their demise. As he rode he turned his head around and gazed back at the men marching behind him. All were young, all were thin, not a specimen among them that looked battle ready or truly seemed to have the body for war. They were a collection of people who chose to fight over starving, which meant they were at least brave. "_But will they fight well?" _the cavalier asked himself as they topped the mound in front of the village.

"Let the men catch a breath." Lester called they reach the apex of the hill, keeping the majority of the force just out of sight, as they reached the hill it was just slightly past midday. "Keep low and rest a smidgeon. We attack as the sun begins its descent." Lester knew the sun fading would provide a slight sight edge to his troops, as they would be marching into the town from the northwest. The sunlight would be at his recruit's backs giving then a sight advantage. An advantage he needed all the more to secure for his soldiers as he knew that if the enemy in the town were anything more than a series of brigands, the battle would be trying. He knew the afternoon would be best as in the morning they would be at a sight disadvantage, and at night he feared his men would unintentionally inflicted friendly causalities due to poor sight and the confusion battle brings in general. Lester knew this would be his best chance. So atop the hill he waited.

….

As the afternoon sun set in upon the village of Riserstead the day progressed as had been for nearly the past month. By this point Tico had come and gone six times reporting on the lands all around the village. Calle and her cavaliers had put their steeds to use by using them to help plow fields and erected a few small barracks for the men to sleep. They were nothing special but the townsfolk appreciated the effort put forth by the Savoy military presence in their village. The barracks were well welcomed as by this point Dalton had overstayed his welcome with nearly every woman in town both old and young alike. "Well now I know why the Valtrex men didn't kill these ladies here." He often joked after a recent squabble with a lady friend turned jealous or upset over is lack of intentions toward making an honest go of it.

The mercenary was outside taking a lazy stroll as he noticed a large movement from the north. "Hey Shenis! Come over her pal!" the lord was quite comfortable with his subjects and those in his employ being informal with him, yet he always found Dalton's manner of speech particularly off. Nevertheless he left his personal shack to come toward the mercenary's side.

"Yes Dalton, what is it? Did you get another black eye from Kaitlyn, or was it Courtney this time?" he giggled as he approached. Dalton paid no mind to the comment and immediately grabbed Shenis' shoulders and turned him northward.

"Boss, is that a rock? Or is that a mass of soldiers headed this way?" the mercenary was not trying to be funny in his asking as he wanted to believe his eyes were deceiving him.

"SOUND OFF! SOUND OFF!" Shenis called quickly he and Dalton quickly broke from their idle standing and grabbed their armor and weapons. As he quickly got dressed Shenis got the attention of Calle who quickly moved to ready her riders as fast possible. Yet, the encroaching enemy was nearly upon them.

"Lord Shenis can you give us a few minutes?" Calle called to her lord. "Many of the cavaliers are not suited for combat and the horses are not saddled. Neither was Highlight, his heavy armor would take several more minutes to ready and the enemy was now within 70 meters.

"Hey Calle-bear." Dalton hollered. "Get your men and horses with all their armor behind that choke point. Shenis and I can form rank there and try to buy time for your riders and Highlight to finish getting ready." Shenis agreed to the plan and all frantically moved into positon. Shenis and Dalton pitched up with Bryan behind them in a spot between the barrack buildings and the inn. The wagon was parked there making it a narrow slit that they could use to make a brief stand, one that they could hold until the rest of the enemy circled around the barracks. "Priest I hope you know some good prayers." The mercenary readied his sword as the recruits came stammering into the choke.

"CRASH!" the initial impact thundered as the recruits smashed hard into the two standing ground. Wild noises they made as they failed to hit anything yet collided with each other and the two swordsmen holding their ground. Lester saw the congestion and rallied a portion of the men to move behind the building around to their flank.

Calle knew the needs were to immediately ready whomever she could for whatever she could. She ceased putting her own armor and saddle on and immediately helped the nearest cavalier to finish. Quickly together, they finished strapping the mail upon the cavalier. She signaled the soldier once mounted onward and ordered him to hold the flank until reinforcements arrived. She quickly moved to saddle another steed as quickly as possible. The cavalier sent alone around the building was met by a wall of spears and lances, the sight of which forced the horse to his hind legs in fear of the sight before him. He cavalier got control and turned the horse to its side and thrust deep into a recruit chest sending him to the ground with the brute force on contact. The recruits kept pushing however in spite of the first sight of death in their face. The cavalier knew he could not give ground.

Calle finished preparing a second cavalier and sent him onward to the flank. She could her the violent grunting and howling of Dalton as he tried to keep the attention off the young lord. Calle moved over to Highlight, who was frantically strapping his leg plates down. "Come on Highlight let me help." She hollered as she knelt beside him. Dalton let out a scowl as a glancing blow caught his shoulder. He leaned over favoring right side where struck before dug his sword into the face of a young recruit. The noise and sight of his lord unprotected was causing Highlight to get antsy and Calle could tell. She slapped the knight hard in the face.

"What was that for?" the knight hollered as he brushed his red cheek.

"You need to get this armor on! You're no good to Shenis if you cannot provide a proper defense!" the knight nodded and quickly the two finished readying his armor he grabbed his shield and lance and bolted toward his favored person, his lord.

"Lord Shenis!" the knight called as Shenis parried a lance blow in flamboyant style. "Switch!" the lord knew exactly what knight was calling for and he leaped backward allowing an opening for the knight to take his place on the frontline.

"Pleased for you to join us!" Dalton joked as he stuck his slashed down another recruit while holding his right shoulder with his offhand. "Bryan how's that healin' spell comin'?" the mercenary gritted his teeth and ducked below a sharp lances blow aimed at his head.

"HOW DID I MISS!" the recruit cried as the mercenary proved too shift to stick. Dalton jumped forward and lunged his sword into the boy's throat before dashing it out to the side.

"Aim small, miss small kid." He smiled as he gave the statement.

Around the on the flank, Lester took the opportunity to lead his troops. He switch to a javelin and thrust it with critical force knocking a cavalier clean from his horse from a distance. He then re-grasped his steel lance and blocked a downward blow from the remaining mounted rider in front of him. "NOW!" as he hollered three of the recruits at his side shoved deep into the cavalier. He began spitting blood, yet refused to fall from his mount. As the recruits let the lances sit in his back and side. He teared up as he unsheathed the sword from his side and swung down one of the three stabbing him. Breathing heavy He readied over head one last thrust of his sword when.

"SHUNK!" a sharp spear thrust through his neck released his grip of the blade. The horseman fell from his mount and the horse quickly fled from the scene absent someone tugging the reigns. Lester had claimed a second cavalier.

"Charge men around the flank we go!" he hollered as an opening had been created from his well-used lancing. He waved on eight of his men around the horn hoping to overpower the enemy where they stood.

Off in the distance was Orlando simply observing all that transpired. He could see the sigil on the wagon and the sigil on the barrack houses and recognized it to be the Savoy banner. He could tell he was correct on his initial reporting on manpower in the camp. Yet, he was most impressed by the control the recruits appeared to have for the moment. "Perhaps ol' Lester can win it?"

Highlight swatted hard at a recruit the force broke his jawbone and floored the boy flat. "Dalton can you hold?" The knight with deep breathes and a bewildered look asked the man to his left.

"Yeah I should hold. The priest here is keeping me upright!" He tossed his sword into the sky then jumped, whilst in the air he grasped the blade and thrust downward splitting a man clean in two. "That makes 8 today." He spat as he recovered his blade from the newly made pile of bones. While he was decimating the enemy fatigue was beginning to show itself upon the mercenary.

"HAHH!" the recruits sent first around the side further caused chaos. Calle immediately ceased dressing other cavaliers and mounted up herself as the fight was now upon them. The horsemen still on the ground grabbed what they could to fight the recruits. Shenis turned from backing Dalton and Shenis at the front point and moved to back the dismounted horsemen. Calle quickly rode through two of the recruits with ease. Yet to her left one of her more seasoned riders fell to his knees after enduring a series of blows. Shenis provided quick respite as he cleaved and carved the remaining men harassing the half-prepared horsemen.

Within a series of seconds all eight sent around the flank had fallen. "Get mounted and ready now!" He said to the remaining dismounted riders. The enemy still held a slight numerical advantage yet it was dwindling hard with each thrust.

Shenis had his back turned ordering the men to arms. This was the moment the seasoned Valtrex thought. He figured if he could slay the commander then the others would falter. He moved with purpose, step after step with intent to spear the young lord in the back hard. As he approached Shenis was still was his back turned.

"NO!"

"SHRRHH!" Lester smiled as he knew the sound of rended flesh upon a lance all too well. However, his eyes soon registered that it was in fact the flesh of cavalier absent his horse who had in the last moment positioned himself between Shenis and the blow. The man dropped to his knees as Lester removed the spear tip and crossed it over in his hands, taking position.

Shenis quickly sauntered around his fallen soldier as he wished to thank the man for his sacrifice but now was not the moment. "So you're the commander?" he asked Lester as the two squared up mono a mono for a duel.

"I am young Savoy." Lester mentioned as he tilted a teasing jab at the young lord. Shenis flinched in his posture. The soldier twisted quickly and through downward blunt thrust onto Shenis head. The contact floored the lord. The old man readied himself for a stab yet, Shenis rolled away from the thrust. Lester pierced the ground three more times in succession attempting to dress his spear tip with the blood of Shenis.

"Have at you!" Calle rode in hard and struck her lance into the old knight's side. The blow was in no way lethal but the damage was felt. The knight removed his focus from the lord and while the lance tip was being removed by Calle he returned fire and dug his lance into her side. "AHHHH!" Calle was wounded, the pain and force of the blow knocked her off her horse completely. As she hit the ground she quickly scooted herself back from the hobbling soldier pursuing her. While she was injured, age and the blow to his side had with each second further and further crippled the old soldier. Shenis had returned to his feet and noticed this opening and darted forward and slashed the opposite side of the enemy commander. Blood flew with authority from the veins of the soldier as he after a moment dropped his shield. Then he found himself leaning upon his lance for support, as his legs seemed to be absent strength. Shenis moved to the soldier's backside and placed his blade upon the side of his neck.

"Do you have any final words?" the young lord asked.

"None that would make any sense to you." The aged man said as he gasped and spat u blood. His body was broken, and in death he knew this would end his torture. He embraced it as Shenis hacked into his side with the rapier. The blade failed to go deep but the damage had been done, Lester was dead. The young lord continued to hack at the man's head attempting to cleave it from his body. Calle who hobbled herself to her feet noticed what he was attempting and offered him her sword for the action which was better for chopping than a thin rapier. Shenis took her sword and with one swing removed the defeated man's head. He handed back Calle her sword which she used to keep her balance. The fighting was still raging at the chokepoint. Shenis immediately got upon on the roof of the barrack atop choke and Held the head of Lester high.

"SEE THIS! SEE YOUR FALLEN COMMANDER!" the young lord bruised and weary from fighting yelled in his loudest voice, a voice so loud even Orlando atop the ridge could hear. "HE HAS BEEN BESTED! YOU HAVE LOST!" the fighting almost immediately ceased from the proclamation. Sure, most of the recruit had fallen by this point but those that remained quickly panicked and turned tail running back to the hilltop.

"LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" "LIVE FOR ANOTHER DAY!" they cried as they moved with the greatest speed they could muster over the hill.

"They are on the run!" Highlight exclaimed as he and Dalton too the respite as a chance to haunch forward and admire the victory.

"Lord shall we ride them down?" Calle asked as she winced holding her side.

"No Calle-bear! MEN DO NOT PURSUE!" Dalton exclaimed as he fell backward and plopped on his behind.

"Why no pursuit Dalton we can finish them off!" Shenis questioned his mercenary's call.

"Look around Boss." Calle and Shenis and all others gazed around the scene. "We have causualties, and wounded, and we have no clue what is beyond that hilltop." He pointed where Orlando stood as the first of the retreating recruits arrived to his position panicked and terror upon their faces.

"He's right." Calle begrudgingly remarked as she returned her sword to her sheathe before sitting down as well. "My men are in disarray and I am in no shape to ride." Shenis took heed to the words both spoke, and he quickly recognized and understood that the chance to pursue was over. He stood up for a few more moments before plopping down as well.

"Thank you for your efforts today everyone." Shenis spoke with heavy breathing as Bryan went about cast spells and beginning to isolate and wrap the wounds. "Guys, let us clear this up tomorrow." He spoke as the sun faded away from sight beginning the start of night. Exhaustion and wounds occupied his men. His men which had suffered the first casualties of the campaign. Shenis looked over to Calle who was shedding tears for her fallen comrades as Bryan removed her breastplate and began treating her wounded chest. "Calle, where is Tico?"

She gritted her teeth a few more times as the priest applied a healing ointment on the afflicted flesh. "He is due northwest, mapping out the area we mark for our next onslaught near Til."

"Something tells me that won't be happening in the near term." Shenis started giggling a tad as he made the statement. Calle and Dalton began chuckling as well but Calle stopped due to the pain in her side, and Dalton began wheezing.

"Hope he keeps safe." One of the cavaliers said. All were in agreement on that was they just sat and collected themselves from a hard fought battle. Shenis and his retinue may have won victory, but in no way did it feel like one.

_Author's Note_ 

wow what a fun little battle! I really like how dominate Dalton can be in combat. did you enjoy the danger the team felt? Do you think i gave Lester a proper end? Who is your favorite so far?

i really really enjoy what Dalton allows me to do in a scene. also i hope that the way i portrayed the troubles of getting prepared on the fly added to the element of battle. figured we needed something to balance things out a tad.

will TICO meet some lost friends?


End file.
